Golf - Day beats Noren at sixth extra hole in playoff

LA JOLLA, California (Reuters) - Australian Jason Day won for the first time in 20 months when he beat Alex Noren in eerie silence in a playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open on Monday.

Jan 28, 2018; San Diego, CA, USA; Jason Day putts on the 16th green on the third playoff hole during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course - South Co. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

With the course closed to the public for logistical reasons, Day sealed victory with a birdie at the sixth extra hole after Swede Noren found a water hazard with his second shot at the par-five 18th at Torrey Pines.

It was the 11th PGA Tour triumph for Day, which lifted him from 14th in the world rankings to 10th. The 30-year-old had not won since the 2016 Players Championship when he was ranked number one.

“It’s been a long time (without winning) so happy to start off the year great,” said Day, who also triumphed here three years ago.

“I was close at the Australian Open last year and didn’t quite get over the finish line, but it’s really nice to get over the finish line here.”

Day and Noren could not be separated in five extra holes on Sunday before the playoff was suspended due to darkness.

It lasted just one more hole on the resumption on Monday morning after Noren narrowly failed to clear the pond guarding the green with his second shot.

Day, who laid up after driving into the rough, punched his third shot to tap-in distance for an easy birdie, pretty much ending Noren’s chances. After taking a penalty stroke, Noren had pitch in for a matching birdie, a task that proved too much.

The Swede was seeking his maiden PGA Tour victory. He has won nine times on the European Tour.

He had no regrets at going for the green from 250 yards, and was only a whisker from pulling off what would have probably set up an easy birdie. His ball landed on the bank of the pond but trickled back in.

“I thought if I hit a good one it would be back of the green,” he said.

Day, meanwhile, has set his sights on returning to world number one. He dominated the game for a nearly 10-month stretch from August 2015 through May 2016, winning seven times, including his first major at the PGA Championship.

But family worries as his mother dealt with cancer, and a recurrent back problem subsequently set him back.

“The major championships always are key for me, I always want to be able to give myself a good opportunity at winning those, but this is the start of the road to get myself back to number one,” said Day.

“I’ve got to shoot for that goal because if I don’t, then I’m not working hard enough and I’m not doing the right things.

“I need to fight and have a goal for something and that’s such a hard accomplishment to achieve that goal. It always keeps motivating me and going along.”